JOHOR BARU: Police here have arrested eight foreigners, six locals and confiscated various types of drugs worth RM1.6mil in a series of raids in the state.
Johor police chief Datuk Kamarul Zaman Mamat said that the raids were conducted from 1pm on Jan 5 until 7pm on Jan 14 by the Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department (JSJN) and the Kulai district police headquarters.
“Nine raids were conducted throughout this period around Kulai, Iskandar Puteri, Bandar Seri Alam, and Mersing, where we arrested 14 individuals, consisting of six locals and eight foreigners.
“We also confiscated 70,004 Erimin 5 pills weighing 22.2kg worth RM1.6mil, 54.7g of syabu worth RM5,470, 6.1g of Ecstacy pills worth RM285; 3.7g heroin worth RM129; 2.4g of ketamine worth RM360; and 1g of ganja worth RM50,” he said.
He said this during a press conference at the Johor Police Headquarters, here, on Monday (Jan 16).
The local suspects consist of three men and three women, while the foreign suspects comprise six men and two women. All of the suspects are aged between 21 and 48.
“We have also confiscated a vehicle worth RM300,000 from one of the foreign suspects, who is also believed to be one of the masterminds behind the syndicate.
“Six of them also tested positive for methamphetamine,” he said, adding that police also confiscated jewellery worth RM44,441 and a watch worth RM45,000.
All of the drugs and confiscated items are worth more than RM2mil and the confiscated drugs can be consumed by more than 70,000 addicts, he added.
“We believed that these groups were acting as distributors, supplying these drugs to entertainment centres around the state.
Comm Kamarul Zaman added that this syndicate's modus operandi is to use a gated and guarded houses as their store to distribute these drugs, and the group has been active since October last year.
All of the suspects are currently on remand for seven days, from Jan 15 until Jan 21.
The case is being investigated under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act for drug trafficking, which carries a death sentence or life imprisonment with a minimum of 15 strokes of the rotan.
